The present invention relates to testing and in particular to an apparatus for conducting a test.
The invention has been developed primarily for testing the suitability of a candidate to work in a predetermined position within an organisation and will be described hereinafter with reference to that application. However, the invention is not limited to that particular field of use and is also suitable for conducting other tests.
Hitherto, it has been known to subject candidates applying for a position within an organisation to a written test. This testing is intended to provide the potential employer with an indication of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the candidates and whether any are well suited to the position or positions on offer.
Testing of this kind is usually in the form of one or more sets of multiple choice questions although other forms of questions are used in some tests. The questions are generally set out on a question paper which is provided to the candidates for a predetermined time. During this time the candidates must mark respective separate answer sheets with a pencil or pen to signify their choice of answer to the questions. At the end of the predetermined time the answer sheets are collected and collated for subsequent analysis. Is also known to utilise tests which are not timed.
Such testing is labour intensive and time consuming. Another major disadvantage is that the results from such tests are highly susceptible to error due to scoring mistakes by the tester. Additionally, error susceptibility easily arises should the candidate guess the answers.
It is an object of the present invention, at least in the preferred embodiment, to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful choice.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for conducting a test on a candidate, the apparatus including:
first means for presenting a series of questions to the candidate;
second means for obtaining from the candidate an answer to each of the questions; third means for obtaining from the candidate an indication of their confidence that any one or more of the answers were correct; and
timer means for determining the time taken for the candidate to answer each of the questions.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for conducting a test on a candidate, the apparatus including:
first means for presenting a series of questions to the candidate;
second means for obtaining from the candidate an answer to each of the questions;
third means for obtaining from the candidate an indication of their confidence that any one or more of the answers were correct; and
timer means for determining the time taken for the candidate to answer the questions.
Preferably, the timer means determines the time taken for the candidate to answer each question.
Preferably also, the first means sequentially presents the series of questions. Even more preferably, the answers to the questions, once provided by the candidate, can not be changed.
In a preferred form, the third means allows the candidate to nominate one of a plurality of confidence bands which best corresponds with their confidence that an answer was correct. More preferably, at least some of the questions are multiple choice, wherein the number of choices being available corresponds to the number of confidence bands. In other embodiments the third means prompts the candidate to provide a number within a predetermined range to indicate their degree of confidence.
Preferably, the apparatus includes fourth means responsive to the first means, the second means and the timer means for indicating the results of the test.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method for conducting a test on a candidate, the method including the steps of:
presenting a series of questions to the candidate;
obtaining from the candidate an answer to each of the questions;
obtaining from the candidate an indication of their confidence that any one or more of the answers were correct; and
determining the time taken for the candidate to answer each of the questions.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method for conducting a test on a candidate, the method including the steps of:
presenting a series of questions to the candidate;
obtaining from the candidate an answer to each of the questions;
obtaining from the candidate an indication of their confidence that any one or more of the answers were correct; and
determining the time taken for the candidate to answer the questions.
Preferably, the method includes the step of determining the time taken for the candidate to answer each question.
Preferably also, the series of questions is sequentially presented. Even more preferably, the answers to the questions, once provided by the candidate, can not be changed.
In a preferred form, the candidate must nominate one of a plurality of confidence bands which best corresponds with their confidence that an answer was correct. More preferably, at least some of the questions are multiple choice, wherein the number of choices being available corresponds to the number of confidence bands. In other embodiments the candidate is prompted to provide a number within a predetermined range to indicate their degree of confidence.
Preferably, the method includes the step of indicating the results of the test.